[Lone Gunman]

Anonymous E-Mail Tells Partners Of Your STD

Rather than an e-mail virus warning, a new program offers e-mails warning of viruses -- and other types of sexually transmitted diseases.

After a successful effort in San Francisco, health officials in Los Angeles launched inSpotLA.org to give people a way to anonymously tell partners they may have been exposed to sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia or HIV.

People diagnosed with such diseases can go to the Web site, fill out a warning card and send it off to their sexual partners anonymously. If the sender chooses, he or she can also sign the e-mail.

"By giving people an easy way to notify their sex partners, (the Web site) will enable more people to get tested and treated early for HIV and other STDs, preventing complications and helping stop the chain of infection," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of public health and health officer of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

The sites are set up so anyone in the country can use them.

San Francisco launched inSPOT.org in October 2004. Since then, an average of 750 people visit the Bay Area site every day with 500 e-cards sent per month. More than half of those people receiving cards click through for more information about testing and treatment.

Los Angeles' program is the first to add HIV to the menu of STDs on an e-card partner notification system.